Nigeria signs UK deal to receive deported failed asylum seekers, criminals

The governments of Nigeria and the United Kingdom have signed a new agreement that will enable Britain to deport failed asylum seekers, visa overstayers and convicted offenders back to Nigeria.

The deal was finalised during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit, with Nigeria’s Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, signing on behalf of both countries.

Under the arrangement, Nigeria will, for the first time, accept UK-issued identification letters for undocumented individuals in place of passports, a move expected to speed up deportation processes.

UK authorities said the agreement removes key administrative barriers that previously delayed the return of migrants without valid travel documents.

Reports indicate that hundreds of Nigerian nationals who have exhausted their asylum appeals, as well as over a thousand foreign offenders of Nigerian origin, could be affected by the policy.

Speaking on the development, Tunji-Ojo said Nigeria remains committed to fulfilling its international obligations, stressing the need for fairness and transparency in migration management.

UK officials described Nigeria as a crucial partner in addressing illegal migration, noting that the deal will also strengthen cooperation in combating visa fraud, sham marriages and other immigration-related crimes.

Both countries also agreed to launch joint operations and intelligence-sharing mechanisms, including a “fusion cell” involving public institutions and private sector players to track criminal networks and financial scams.